SAO PAULO, Brazil -- FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke is giving Brazilian organizers only a few more weeks to show that the

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke is giving Brazilian organizers only a few more weeks to show that the

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke is giving Brazilian organizers only a few more weeks to show that the stadium in Curitiba will be ready in time for the World Cup. Roberto Luongo Jersey . Valcke showed real concern about the pace of construction at the Arena da Baixada after visiting the southern city on Tuesday, saying that work there is more than late. He said he believes the stadium will make it, but declined to guarantee it will be part of the tournament that begins in June. Valcke said local organizers have until Feb. 18 to demonstrate that the work can be completed in time. "What we are expecting is that these technicians will work from now up to the 18th of February and by the 18th of February they will say, OK, guys, its fine," Valcke said. Most of the delay at the venue, which was about 90 per cent completed, was blamed on difficulties getting the needed funding for the construction. The stadium is being built mainly by local club Atletico Paranaense. "For the time being, I trust that the decisions that have been made today will give us Curitiba as one of the host cities," Valcke told a news conference. "It will be a difficult birth, but at the end we will have a baby." Brazils deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes said that after Tuesdays visit it was clear something had to be done to guarantee Curitiba as a host city. "With the current pace of construction, the stadium would not be ready in time," Fernandes said, adding that more workers are expected to be added to the construction site to try to get the venue ready. The trip to Curitiba was not originally scheduled for this weeks inspection tour by FIFA, but footballs governing body added a stop there after receiving the latest construction report from local organizers. Valcke was initially expected to go to the jungle city of Manaus. The Arena da Baixada was the most delayed among the six that still have to be delivered for the World Cup. FIFAs inspection tour began on Monday in Sao Paulo, with Valcke visiting the Itaquerao stadium, where a crane collapse late last year killed two workers and caused significant delays in construction. The Itaquerao, which will host the World Cup opener between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, is expected to be ready in mid-April. On Wednesday, the Arena das Dunas in the northeastern city of Natal will be the latest stadium to be delivered. Valcke will be there for the inauguration ceremony along with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. Brazil promised to deliver all 12 by the end of 2013 but only the six that were used during last years Confederations Cup were ready. Four of those had missed their initial completion deadline of the end of 2012. The Arena da Baixada is due to host four World Cup matches, all in the group stage. The first is Iran vs. Nigeria on June. 16. Denis Malgin Jersey . The former Toronto FC designated player played three of his 15 professional seasons with the team. Vincent Trocheck Jersey ." Those traits were clear to the 24,071 at Olympic Stadium on Saturday as the Impact dominated the scoring chances but settled for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls in a battle of still-winless Major League Soccer teams. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline.com/ian-mccoshen-hockey-jersey/ . It took five games, but the Celtics finally helped Stevens earn his first NBA victory. "Im going to celebrate for a whole 12 minutes, and then Im going to start watching Orlando and trying to figure them out," the first-year Celtics coach said after Boston beat the Utah Jazz, one of the leagues other winless teams, 97-87 on Wednesday night. UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- In Thomas Vaneks first week with the New York Islanders, the high-scoring forward has often said how thrilled he is to be playing alongside new captain John Tavares. Now he is starting to show how happy he really is. Tavares, defenceman Andrew MacDonald and Vanek scored second-period goals, and Kevin Poulin made 26 saves for his first win of the season as the Islanders beat the Boston Bruins 3-1 on Saturday night. Vanek, the left wing acquired from Buffalo for fan favourite Matt Moulson, scored his first goal with the Islanders and recorded his 500th NHL point. The scoring play came on a perfect cross-ice pass from right wing Kyle Okposo. Vanek finished it with a one-timer from the left circle past goalie Chad Johnson. "That felt really good, a relief for me," Vanek said. "Each day were feeling better and better and working together. Tonight you saw what can be possible with our line." Tavares knocked a loose puck past Johnson at 6:15 of the second for his sixth goal of the season. The assist went to Vanek. After MacDonald scored his first of the season at 13:13 to make it 2-0, and Bostons Dougie Hamilton answered two minutes later, Vanek notched his 255th NHL goal. "Hes a great skilled player," Tavares said. "When you get those opportunities, you have to take advantage of them, and he did. When we play our game and compete, we are successful." Okposo and defenceman Travis Hamonic assisted on the goals by MacDonald and Vanek. The Islanders (6-5-3) won for the second straight night. On Friday, they bombarded the Ottawa Senators with 57 shots and won 5-4 in a shootout, twice rallying from two-goal deficits. "Our last six periods have been very good," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "Kevin was particularly solid for us tonight. This was a strong character win." Tavares, who has played 221 connsecutive games, seemed more at ease with the new line combination of Vanek and Okposo. Keith Yandle Jersey. . Moulson had been Tavares left wing and close friend since the captains rookie season in 2009-10, scoring 118 goals for the Islanders. Boston (8-5) lost for the third time in four games. Poulins best save came 6:58 in when he denied David Krejci from the top of the crease after two perfect passes from Jarome Iginla and Patrice Bergeron. He also stopped Milan Lucics backhand from in front with 1:29 left in the third as the Bruins had Johnson pulled for an extra skater. He made another glove save on Hamilton with 23 seconds remaining, sparking chants of "Pou-lin, Pou-lin" from the home crowd. "I felt strong out there, working hard at doing the little things right," Poulin said. The 23-year-old Poulins two other starts in place of No. 1 goalie Evgeni Nabokov were losses -- 3-2 at Chicago and 5-2 at home to Philadelphia. Johnson played his second game of the season to give Tuukka Rask a rest. Johnson won his only other start, 5-2 at Buffalo on Oct. 23. The Bruins, coming off a 3-2 shootout win over Anaheim on Thursday, will start a five-game homestand against Dallas on Tuesday. They had won their previous three visits and eight of 10 at Nassau Coliseum. "We werent focused or sharp enough," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "Well be working hard to get the team back on track." The Islanders will embark on a four-game trip starting Tuesday at Washington before they head to Carolina, Columbus and Montreal. NOTES: The Bruins were again without forward Loui Eriksson, who sustained a concussion when he was hit by Buffalos John Scott on Oct. 23. ... Islanders D Lubomir Visnovsky missed his sixth straight game with a concussion. ... The Islanders also scratched defenceman Brian Strait (upper body) and forward Colin McDonald (hip). Cheap NFL JerseysWholesale JerseysWholesale NFL JerseysJerseys From ChinaWholesale NFL JerseysCheap NFL JerseysCheap Jerseys ' ' '